Curtain stretcher



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CURTAIN STRETGHER Filed Feb. 23, 1934 2 sheets-Sheet 2 3mm A jafonfxener I,

Patented Feb. 5, 1935 UNITED STATESl y CURTAIN STRETCHER Aaron Luxenberg, Ellwood City,` Pa.,kassignor to l Joseph Hilvitz, Emeigh, Pa.

.Applicatin-Februay'fl, 1934, Serial'No. 712,648

4 Claims. (01.45-24) This invention relatesto drying devices for laundered articles, and has particular reference to improvements in curtain stretchers.

The generali object ofthe invention is to proivide a curtain stretcher which is adjustable toaccommodate curtains of different sizes, and.

tures whereby'eurtains applied thereto are held` properly stretched against` sagging either longitudinally or'transversely.

Another object of the invention is to provide a curtain stretcher embodying structural features whereby a plurality of curtains may quickly and easily be applied thereto in superimposed movedthereirom.

'Another object of the invention is to provide a curtain stretcher embodying an adjustable frame which, in all adjusted positions thereof, is equally rigid andnot subject to sagging or other undesirable deformation. s i

Another object of theinventionis tov provide a curtainstretcher. which vis of simple, strong and durable construction, which is cheap and easy to produce,,andwhich Ais thoroughly reliable and eicient inuse. l

With the foregoingand other 'objects in view, whch'will become 'more fully apparent as the nature.v of the invention is better understood, the 35,:.same consists in the novel features of construction, combinationand arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, i llus-.

trated inthe accompanying. drawings and deiined in the appendedvclaim's. f

In the drawings, wherein like Vcharacters of reference denote corresponding parts in the dinerentviews: n s y, Y

Figure 1 is a plan view of a curtain stretcher constructed in accordance with one practical em- 451' bodiment of the inventionand showing a-fragment of a curtain stretchedthereorr,v

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the stretcher shown in Fig. 1; Y Figure 3 is an: enlarged detail section on `the l line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Figure. i` isy a crossk sectionon the liner 4-4 of Fig. 1i.

Figure 5i is a perspectivevview of one of thelcur- `tain rod holding brackets.v

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top ,plan view illusrelationship, and equally as quickly and easily res `Incase the irame'A should; be ofv largegsize;

trating a curtain rod and holders therefor of modified form.

Figure 7 isladetail sectional view onthe line '7 7 of Fig. 6; and

Figure 8 is ayperspective View 'of one'ofV the curtain rod holders'illustrated in Fig. 6,

Referring, to the drawings in detail,irst with respect to the practicalembodiment vof the invenv' tion illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, A designates,V gen-` m erally, a frame whichis composed of a pair of side rails 10, 10 anda pairof end rails 11, 11 in accordance with general practice; The rails of both pairs are, however, of one-piece construetion, as distinguished frornprior art construc- Y tions in which certain or allv of the rails are` con'- o stituted by two or more hingedly or otherwise con;- nected sections, whereby any sagging or deiormation-ofthe frame is substantially eliminated. Moreover, vall fourl of the rails'l'o, loand 11, 1'1,V are disposed in a common plane, in which connection it willbe noted that the inner side edges of the end rails kabut the ends of the side rails and that said end railsare held in this relationshiptothe'side rails by means of U-shapedmen talli'cfstraps 12 which straddle the ends of the side railsV and are riveted or otherwise suitably secured thereto, and whichV snugly, slidably ernbrace the end rails. Thus, while provision is made for slidableadjustment of the side rails towards andawayufrom each other along the end rails tovary the width of the frame,a true rectangu-v larform ofthe frame in all positions of adjust-1 ment of the side'rails alongthe end rails is assured due, on the one hand, to-the rigid, onepiece construction of the side and end rails, and, on Athe other hand, to the inner side faces of the endrails being maintained in flat engagement; with'the squared ends of the side railsby the straps 12. Y Y y The end' rails 10, 10 fare longitudinally slot l ted as indicated "at 13;" either substantially v throughout their lengths as shown, or, alternatively,lonly near their ends, and' bolts 14" are en-'f gagedthroughi the 'straps 12 and' through the slots 4in the end rails and are provided with .thurnbnuts 15 whereby the side rails 'rnay be clamped securely to the end rails inl any desired positions' of Vadjustment therealo'ngf.

havingside rails ofl considerable length, it may be desirabletoprovide means tov prevent any inward'bowing of theY side' rails. Accordingly, afflfml,16, wh'icli may *bea duplicate of` one' of the endlrails, preferably'is 'provided tospanr the frameimediall-y thereof andato be adjustablyf s'e-` cured to the side rails 10, 10 in the same manner as the end rails; i. e., by means of clamp bolts 17 extending through the side rails and through a slot 18 in said rail 16. Obviously, when the rail 16 is clamped to the side rails it constitutes a rigid spacing member for the side rails effectively holding their medial portions against any inward or outward bowing relative to each other.

Slidably mounted on each side rail 10 for adjustment therealong is a pair of curtain rod holding brackets 19, one bracket of each pair being disposed between the middle and one end, and the other between the middle and the other end, of the related side rail.

The brackets 19 may be cast or formed from sheet metal and are duplicates of one another with the exception that the two constituting a pair are of reverse construction. As shown, each bracket is composed of a body portion of L-shaped cross section comprising a top plate 20 to engage the upper face of the related side rail, a depending flange 21 to engage the outer edge of the side rail, and an upright portion 22 rising from the flange 21 and at its top extending towards the related end of the frame A, as at 23, and thence downwardly, as at 24, to a point suitably spaced above the side rail to provide a slot 25 which is closed at its top and at its inner side and which, at its bottom, has an outwardly facing entrance opening 26.

The side rails 10, 10 are longitudinally slotted between their medial portions and their ends as indicated at 27, and a bolt 28 extends through the plate 20 of each bracket 19 and through the related slot 27 and is provided with a thumb nut 29 whereby the brackets may be secured to the side railsin different positions of adjustment longitudinally therealong.

Rods 30 are provided for cooperation with the brackets 19 when the curtains to be stretched are of the kind having hems at their ends, in which event a rod 30 is inserted in the hem at each end of each such curtain, the frame A is 4adjusted to the desired width, the two brackets 19 at one end of the frame are secured to their respective side rails, the end portions of one of the rods 30 are engaged in the slots 25 of said pair of brackets, the end portions of the other rod 30 are engaged in the slots 25 of the remaining pair of brackets 19, and the latter pair of brackets then are slid outwardly along their side rails until the curtain has been stretched to proper length, whereupon the two brackets last mentioned are clamped to their side rails to hold the curtain in a stretched condition. In this connection it will be observed that each side rail 10, 10 has rising therefrom along its inner edge a series of pins 31 with which the side edges of the curtain may be engaged to hold the curtain against being drawn inwardly at its sides; also, that the end rails 11 are graduated to facilitatel adjustment of, the side rails to predetermined distances apart, and that the side rails are graduated to facilitate adjustment of the brackets 19 to predetermined distances apart, so that for a curtain of known size the necessary adjustmentsmay readily be made for stretching the same to exactlythat size. Moreover, it is apparent that in any instance where two or more curtains of the same size are to be stretched, the rods 30 may successively be shifted upwardly into the slots 25 to provide spaces at the bottoms of said slots to accommodate the rods of succeeding curtains.

Thus, a plurality of curtains may be stretched in superimposed relationship with the material of adjacent curtains maintained spaced apart due to the cooperation of adjacent rods with each other, and the rods Will effectively be held against accidental `disengagement from the brackets 19 by reason of the peculiar form of the slots 25. In many instances curtains are not provided with herns into which the rods 30 may be inserted. In that event, rods 30a and brackets 19a as illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 of the drawings are employed in lieu of the rods 30 and the brackets 19. The rods 30a are of L-shaped cross section and are designed to extend across the frame A upon the side rails 10, l0 between selected pairs of the pins 31 with their horizontal flanges directed inwardly, their said horizontal flanges each having a series of curtain attaching pins 32 projecting upwardly therefrom.

The brackets 19a are in the form of blocks slidably engaged againstthe upper faces of the side rails l0, 10, and each block has a pair of pins 33 or a flangepor the like projecting into the related slot 27 to hold the block against undesirable sidewise or rotative movement. On the inner end of each block is a metallic clip 34 of inverted U-shape to engage the vertical flange of the related rod 30a, while extending through each block and the related slot 27 is a bolt 28a provided with a thumb-nut 29'f1 whereby the brackets and, consequently, the rods 30a may be secured in different spaced apart positions of adjustment along the side rails 10, 10. Y

The manner of stretching a curtain by means of the rods 30a is practically the same as set forth in connection with the rods 30. First, the frame A is adjusted to desired width. Next, one of the rods 3()et is secured in a desired position upon the frame by means of the related pair of brackets 19a. Next, the curtain is attached at its ends to the two rods 30a by means of the pins 32 and the other rod is adjusted along the frame until the curtain is stretched to desired length, whereupon the brackets holding the last mentioned rod are clamped to the side rails 10 to maintain the curtain stretched until it has dried. In this connection, if two or more curtains of the same size are to be stretched they obviously may be attached to the rods 30a in superimposed relationship. Also, the sides' of the curtains may be attached to the side rails 10, 10 by means of the pins 31 to insure against the sides of the curtain being drawn undesirably inwardly when the curtains are stretched, in which connection the importance of providing a frame the side rails of which are held against bowing inwardly Will readily be appreciated.

Without further kdescription itis thought that the advantages of the present construction will be readily apparent. It is desired to point out, however, that while only certain specic embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, the invention isreadily capable of embodiment in various different mechanical structures within the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

1. A curtain stretcher comprising a frame having side and end rails, rods to have curtain ends attached thereto, and rod holding members' mounted-on the frame side rails for adjustment therealong, said members each having a vertically elongatedrod end receiving slot of va length to accommodate a plurality of the rods superimposed upon each other, said slots being closed at their upper ends and opening at their lower ends through the edges of the members facing towards the adjacent ends of the frame.

2. A curtain stretcher comprising a frame having a pair of side rails and a pair of end rails, a pair of rods to have curtain ends attached thereto, and rod holding brackets mounted on the rails of one pair for adjustment therealong, each bracket comprising a top plate to rest upon the top of the rail, a side flange to engage the outer edge of the rail, and an upright portion having a vertically extending rod end receiving slot closed at its top and at its inner side and at its outer side from its top downwardly to a point in spaced relationship to the top plate to provide an entrance opening.

3. A curtain stretcher comprising a frame having pairs of side and end rails, rods to have curtain ends attached thereto, and rod holding brackets mounted on the rails of one pair for adjustment therealong, each bracket having a vertically elongated rod end receiving slot of a length'to accommodate a plurality of the rods superimposed upon each other, each slot being closed at its upper end, and each bracket having a slot entrance opening opening laterally through an edge of the bracket.

f .4. A curtain stretcher comprising a frame having pairs of side and end rails, rods to have curtain ends attached thereto, and rod holding brackets mounted on the rails of one pairfor adjustment therealong, each bracket comprising a top plate to rest upon the top of its related rail, a downwardly directed flange for cooperation with the related rail to hold the bracket against turning movement relative to the rail, and an upright portion having a vertically elongated rod end receiving slot of a length to accommodate a plurality of the rods superimposed upon each other, each slot being closed at its upper end, and the said upright portion of each bracket having a slot entrance opening opening laterally through an edge thereof below the closed upper end of the slot AARON LUXENBERG. 

